Means for retaining packages in stacked relationship



` April 22, 1952 A, Q DUPUIS 2,593,998

MEANS FOR RETAINING PACKGES IN STACKED RELATIONSHIP Filed March 8, 1948 Fla-n INVENTOR. #Aw/w? Da/a/s Patented Apr. 22, 1952 MEANS FOR RETAINING PACKAGES IN STACKED RELATIONSHIP Arthur G. Dupuis, Grosse lPointeFai-ms, Mich.,

assignor` to VMotor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of New York Application March 8, 1948, Serial No. 13,597

This invention relates to means for retaining 4 Claims. (C1. 220-97) packaging frames in position while being transported by material handling equipment.

One method used for shipping or transporting small miscellaneous parts comprises introducing the parts into different frames or bins open at the top and bottom. A plurality of frames are usually positioned on a single spacing sheet with adjacent sidewalls in contact and are ordinarily arranged in stacked relationship. A at spacing sheet is interposed between adjacent superposed frames in a manner such that the lowermost sheet for one group of frames provides a bottom wall for all of the frames in this group and provides a top wall for the frames supported immediately below the top group of frames.

With packaging means of the above general type, some means must necessarily be provided for holding the frames against lateral shifting movement relative to the spacing sheets and it is one of the objects of this invention to provide retaining clips on the spacing sheets for accomplishing this result.

A more detailed object of this invention is to provide the clips with vertical plates having tongues which extend laterally from the respective plates intermediate the ends and intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof. The tongues are attachable to the flat spacing sheets in such a manner that the plates assume positions beyond the marginal edges of ,the sheets and form abutments for engaging the adjacent walls of the frames at opposite sides of the sheets. In practice clips are attached to opposite side edges of a at spacing sheet for respectively engaging opposite end walls of the frames positioned at opposite sides of the sheet and are also attached to the opposite end edges of the sheet for engagement with the adjacent side walls ofthe end opposite sides of the sheet.

Still another object of this invention is to provide open return bent portions at the free ends of the tongues attachable to the flat sheet by proj ecting through slots formed in the sheet adjacent the marginal edges thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a one piece clip having a vertical abutment plate and having a tongue projecting laterally from the plate intermediate the ends of the latter and intermediate the top and bottom edges thereof.

A still further feature of this invention is to provide retaining means of the above general type capable of being conveniently returned to the source of-reusa The foregoing as well as other objects will be frames at invention;

`I2 and a series of clips I3.

made more apparent as this description proceeds,

Vespecially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing stacks of frames or bins held against llateral shifting movement relative to one another by retaining means embodying the features of this Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the retaining means in relation to adjacent superposed packages; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the retaining means.

For the purpose of illustrating this invention, I have shown in Figure 1 of the drawing a plurality of tiers or stacks of frames or bins I0 open at the top and bottom. The frames are rectangular in shape and are all preferably of the same size. During transportation or handling, the frames are arranged in groups with one group superposed on the other and the frames in each group are retained in this relationship by retainers I I. The retainers I I comprise a fiat sheet The flat sheet I2 corresponds in size to the area occupied by one group of frames when the latter are positioned with the side walls in engagement as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. Thus the fiat spacing sheet I2 between superposed groups of frames serves as a bottom wall for the top group of frames and as a top wall for the bottom group of frames.

The sheets I 2 may be formed of practically any inexpensive rigid or semrigid material, such for example, as heavy paper or cardboard, and

"are formed with suitable slots I4 adjacent the spectively engage opposite end walls of the frames at opposite sides of the sheet, and is slotted to permit attaching clips I3 to the transverse or end edge portions in positions to respectively enfgage the outer side walls of the end frames at opposite sides of the sheet.

, The clips I3 are of one piece construction and may be formed of any suitable material possessing v the requisite rigidity, such for example, as sheet vsteel or plastic.

Each clip I3 comprises a plate I5 and a tongue IB projecting laterally from the plate intermediatev the ends and intermediate opposite side edges thereof. In the event the clip is fashioned by stamping the same from a sheet laterally inwardly from the plate I5 providing a recess Il at one side edge thereof. In any case the free end of the tongue I6 is formed lwith an open return bent portion I8 and the portions of the plate I5 at opposite sides of the tongue may be embossed laterally outwardly to provide transverse reinforcing ribs I9, if desired.

The tongues I6 on the clips are adapted to rest on the top face of the sheet I2 adjacent the respective slots I4, and the return bent ends I8 of the tongues are adapted to project downwardly through the adjacent slots Iii in the manner clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. Thus the clips are, in effect, hooked on the sheet against accidental displacement, but may be readily removed when desired. The eiective length of the tongues I6 is so determined with respect to the distance between the slots I4 and adjacent marginal edge of the sheet that the plates I5 are located beyond the latter marginal edge in positions to form abutments for the frames I at opposite sides of the sheet. ure 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that the top portions 29 of the plates engage the` adjacent Walls of the frames i9 seated on the top of the at sheet I2, and the bottom portions 2| of the plates at opposite sides of the recess I'l engage the adjacent walls of the frames located immediately below the sheet.

In use the clips I3 are assembled in the above manner on the at sheet I2 and the latter is supported on the top of the lowermost group of frames with the portions ZI of the clips engaging adjacent Walls of these frames. The frames in the next adjacent group are then placed on the.

top of the sheet I2 directly above the frames in the lowermost group, and are engaged by the portions 29 of the clips I3. This .procedure is repeated until the desired number of groups of frames are supported in superposed relationship,

and upon completion of this stacking operation, the frames may be handled as a unit without the danger of adjacent frames shifting relative to one another. In order to facilitate stacking the frames, the top and bottom edges of the plates I may be curled laterally outwardly as at 22, to in effect, guide the frames into Iposition relative to the sheets I2.

The foregoing arrangement is such that the individual frames may be quickly removed from the sheets I?. by merely lifting the same sufficiently to clear the top portions 2|] of the plates, and the sheets I2 may be readily disengaged from the frames directly beneath the same in a similar manner. The clips I3 may then be quickly removed from the sheets I2 and may be readily packaged for return with the sheets to the shipper.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Means for retaining lpackaging frames in a stacked position comprising a at sheet adapted to be positioned between adjacent superposed frames and having a slot adjacent one marginal edge thereof, a clip having a vertical plate and `having a tongue extending laterally from the plate posite sides of the sheet.-

Referring again to Fig- 2. Means for retaining lpackaging frames in a stacked position comprising a iiat sheet adapted to be positioned between adjacent superposed frames and having slots therethrough spaced inwardly from the marginal edges thereof, clips having vertical plates provided with recesses in one side edge portion intermediate opposite ends thereof and having tongues respectively projecting laterally from the base portions of the recesses to occupy positions intermediate the top and bottom edges of the plates, said tongues engageable with one face of the sheet and respectively having open return bent portions at the 4free edges thereof respectively extending through the slots in said sheet, the length of the tongues being so determined With respect to the distance between .the slots and adjacent marginal edges of the sheet to locate the plates beyond said marginal edges in positions to form abutments for frames at opposite sides of the sheet.

3. Means for retaining packaging frames in a stacked rposition comprising a flat sheet adapted to be positioned between adjacent superposed frames, a clip of one piece construction having a vertical plate and having a tongue projecting laterally from the plate intermediate the ends of the plate and intermediate the .top and bottom edges thereof, said tongue engageable with one falce of the sheet and having an open return .bent portion at the free end projecting through a slot in the sheet to locate the clip `with said plate Ipositioned beyond one marginal edge of the sheet where it provides abutments for frames at opposite sides of the sheets.

4. Means for retaining packaging frames which are open at the top and bottom in stacked position comprising a flat sheet adapted to be positioned between superposed groups of frames to provide a common bottom wall for the frames in the top group and to provide a common top wall for the frames in the bottom group, means carried by the sheet and engageable `with the lframes at opposite sides of the sheet to hold said frames against shifting movement relative to the sheet, said means comprising Iclips each having a vertical plate and a tongue projecting laterally from the plate intermediate the top and bottom edges of the plate, said tongues overlying the top face of the sheet and the portions of the plates at opposite sides of the tongues respectively engage the outer sides of the frames positioned at opposite sides of the sheet, and hook portions at the free ends of the tongues respectively engageable in slots-formed in the sheet to hold said clips against shifting movement relative to the l sheet.

ARTHUR G. DUPUIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 22,593 Great Britain 1894 

